Eggplant Parmigiana
by Cucina con Simone · 162K subscribers on YouTube
A classic Italian vegetarian dish featuring layers of fried eggplant, tomato basil sauce, mozzarella, and Parmigiano Reggiano, baked until golden and bubbly.
- Cook
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
11 items- 3 pcsEggplantssliced 0.5 cm thick
- Saltfor sweating the eggplants
- 1 pcsOnionwhite onion, finely chopped
- 1 cloveGarlicfinely chopped
- 1 tbspExtra Virgin Olive Oilfor sautéing the onion
- 800 mlPeeled Tomatoescanned peeled tomatoes
- Basilfresh leaves, to taste
- 2 pcsFiordilatte Mozzarellacut into small cubes
- 150 gFlourfor dredging
- 150 mlSeed Oilseed oil, for frying
- Parmigiano Reggianograted, to taste; generous amounts
Method
- Cut the eggplants into slices about 0.5 cm thick (discard the green top and the bottom).
- Layer the eggplant slices in a colander, salting each layer. Place a weight (e.g., a pot of water) on top and let purge for at least 1 hour.
- After purging, pat the eggplant slices dry with paper towels.
- Dredge each slice lightly in flour, shaking off excess.
- Heat abundant seed oil (about 150 ml) in a pan to 180-190°C. Fry the eggplant slices for about 2 minutes per side until golden. Drain on paper towels or in a clean colander.
- For the sauce: finely chop the onion and garlic. Sauté the onion in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over low heat until translucent. Add the garlic, then the peeled tomatoes (crush them by hand or with a fork). Add basil leaves, salt to taste, and let simmer covered over medium-low heat until the sauce sweetens, about 15-20 minutes.
- Cut the mozzarella fiordilatte into small cubes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (static).
- Assemble the parmigiana: spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange a layer of fried eggplant slices to cover the base. Add a thin layer of sauce, then scatter mozzarella cubes, basil leaves, and a generous amount of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Repeat layers (eggplant, sauce, mozzarella, basil, Parmigiano) until all ingredients are used, finishing with a top layer of extra sauce, basil, and Parmigiano.
- Bake for at least 40 minutes, or until the surface is golden and crusty. For extra browning, finish under the grill for a few minutes.
- Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Cucina con Simone
Home cook162K subscribers on YouTube41.4M total channel viewsBenvenuti nel canale dello Chef Simone! Qui condivido ricette della tradizione italiana e creazioni ispirate dalla mia esperienza internazionale. Il mio obiettivo è aiutare tutte le famiglie a cucinare piatti indimenticabili, senza spendere una fortuna, utilizzando prodotti facilmente reperibili nei supermercati di tutto il mondo. Se amate la buona cucina, scoprire sapori autentici e imparare trucchi e consigli semplici, questo è il canale giusto per voi. Unisciti a me in questa avventura culinaria e porta il gusto in tavola con soddisfazione e facilità!
